Customer relationship management (crm) audio on hold

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for CRM audio on hold. In an embodiment of the invention, a CRM audio on hold method includes identifying a caller associated with the telephone call received in a call processing gateway, selecting a record in a CRM application pertinent to the caller and inserting the selected record into a variable field of a template. The method also includes text-to-speech (TTS) processing the template into audio and returning the audio to the call processing gateway for playback to the caller while the caller is on hold.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to CRM call processing and moreparticularly to caller on hold management in a CRM application.

2. Description of the Related Art

In business, beyond the sale of a product or service remains thefundamental management of the relationship between the vendor and thecustomer. CRM applications seek to provide a foundation upon whichbusiness can manage the relationship with the customer from the momentin time before one becomes a customer to the moment in beyond which onebecomes a customer. Modern CRM applications provide this foundationthrough a collection of well organized database records relating to allaspects of the customers and the products and services provided by thevendor to the customers. A visual user interface presents a view to thedatabase records so as to assist the business in visualizing the past,present and potentially future state of the relationship between thebusiness and the customer.

CRM applications often are equipped to manage communications withcustomers. In the twenty-first century, a common mode of interactingwith customers and even potential customers is electronic mail followedclosely by instant messaging. However, the venerable telephone callremains part and parcel of the business-to-customer relationship. Withrespect to telephone call processing in CRM, at the outset, what isrequired is the receipt of a telephone call from the customer to thevendor—typically a call center of the vendor. As it is well-understood,however, in many instances, more telephone calls are received in thecall center than there are available persons to process the call.Alternatively, oftentimes, a caller is compelled to wait while a callcenter operator processes a request of the caller. In either instance,the caller is placed on hold.

Traditionally, when a caller is placed on hold, music is played over thetelephone call so as to entertain the caller, and also to provide amental cue that the telephone call has not been dropped. Alternatively,generic messaging is presented over the call, reminiscent of a paidtelevision programming or an “infomercial”. Of course, long hold periodsfor a caller can be frustrating—especially when the caller seeksassistance with a purchased product or service, or where the caller isimpatient in seeking information regarding a potential purchase of aproduct or service. The generically provided music for a caller on holdseldom acts to alleviate the impatience experienced by the caller onhold. Further, corporate propaganda pertaining to generic infomercialmaterial certainly does not act to sooth the caller on hold.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art inrespect to caller on hold processing and provide a novel and non-obviousmethod, system and computer program product for CRM audio on hold. In anembodiment of the invention, a CRM audio on hold method includesidentifying a caller associated with the telephone call received in acall processing gateway, selecting a record in a CRM applicationpertinent to the caller and inserting the selected record into avariable field of a template. The method also includes text-to-speech(TTS) processing the template into audio and returning the audio to thecall processing gateway for playback to the caller while the caller ison hold.

In another embodiment of the invention, a CRM data processing system canbe configured for CRM audio on hold. The system can include a hostcomputing system that includes at least one computer with memory and atleast one processor and a database coupled to the host computing system.The system also includes a CRM application executing in the memory ofthe host computing system and a call processing gateway processingtelephone calls from callers over a public switched telephone network(PSTN). Finally, the system includes a CRM audio on hold module coupledto both the CRM application and the call processing module. The CRMaudio on hold module includes program code enabled to identify a callerassociated with a telephone call received in the call processinggateway, to select a record in a CRM application pertinent to thecaller, to insert the selected record into a variable field of atemplate, to text-to-speech (TTS) process the template into audio and toreturn the audio to the call processing gateway for playback to thecaller while the caller is on hold.

Additional aspects of the invention will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The aspectsof the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elementsand combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It isto be understood that both the foregoing general description and thefollowing detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only andare not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute partof this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention andtogether with the description, serve to explain the principles of theinvention. The embodiments illustrated herein are presently preferred,it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to theprecise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial illustration of a process for CRM audio on hold;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a CRM data processing systemconfigured for CRM audio on hold; and,

FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process for CRM audio on hold.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the invention provide for CRM audio on hold. In anembodiment of the invention, a call can be received into a callprocessing portion of a CRM system. A caller associated with the callcan be determined by lookup of CRM contact records. Thereafter,responsive to the placement of the call on hold, a selection of recordsspecific to the caller can be retrieved into memory and text-to-speechprocessed into audio corresponding to the selection of records. Theaudio corresponding to the selection of records can be complimented withgeneric audio of a template and providing context for the selectedrecords. Thereafter, the audio in turn can be presented to the callerwhile the caller remains on hold. In this way, while the caller remainson hold, the caller on hold at least can receive information pertinentto the caller, such as a list of open cases in the CRM application and astatus of those open cases.

In further illustration, FIG. 1 pictorially shows a process for CRMaudio on hold. As shown in FIG. 1, a call can be established as betweena caller 110 and a call processing gateway 120 over a PSTN 130. The callprocessing gateway 120 can place the caller 110 on hold and the callprocessing gateway 120 can provide to CRM audio on hold logic 170 calldata 150. The call data 150 can include the identity of the caller 110and a context of the call. The context of the call can include, by wayof example, an expected duration of time during which the caller 110will remain on hold, a status of one or more records related to thecaller 110, a preference of the caller 110 to receive particularinformation while on hold, a job title or department associated with thecaller 110, whether the call originates from a home phone number orbusiness phone number of the caller 110, and the time of day or the dateof the call, including whether or not the call has occurred during orafter business hours.

Using the call data 150, the CRM audio on hold logic 170 can select acontextual template 160. The contextual template 160 can include atextual script with variable fields reserved for data specific todifferent individuals. For instance, the textual script can relate to astatus of an open trouble ticket or customer issue record of the caller110, the textual script can relate to current announcements of productsassociated with the type of job or department of the caller 110, or thetextual script can relate to a knowledgebase article of one or moreproducts associated with the caller 110, to name only threepossibilities. Utilizing CRM data 190 retrieved from a CRM system 140,the CRM audio on hold logic 170 can replace the variable fields of theselected one of the contextual templates 160 with the CRM data 190 toproduce a completed one of the templates 190. Thereafter, the completedone of the templates 190 can be TTS processed and returned to the callprocessing gateway 120 as speech audio 180. The speech audio 180 in turncan be played back to the caller 110 while the caller 110 remains onhold.

The process described in connection with FIG. 1 can be implemented in aCRM data processing system. In yet further illustration, FIG. 2schematically shows a CRM data processing system configured for CRMaudio on hold. The system can include a call processing gateway 210configured for telecommunicative linkage to different telephone endpointdevices 220 over a PSTN 230. The call processing gateway 210 further canbe configured for data communicative coupling to a CRM system 280 over adata communications network 240.

The CRM system 280 can include one or more computers, each with memoryand at least one processor, and collectively supporting the execution ofa CRM application (not shown) configured to provide access to CRM data250. The CRM system 280 can be coupled to a CRM audio on hold module 300and can include program code enabled upon execution in the memory of acomputer to respond to the receipt of call data from the call processinggateway 210 to select one or more contextual templates 260 based uponone or more template selection rules 270.

The contextual templates 260 each can include generic text and one ormore variable fields into which corresponding records from the CRM data250 are to be inserted. The rules 270 in turn can include, by way ofexample, rules that accept as input a context of a call including anidentity of a caller, a nature of an expected hold time for the caller,or both. The rules 270 further can specify based upon the context one ormore templates 260 to be selected for use by the CRM audio on holdmodule 300 in producing speech audio for playback to a caller on hold.For example, with respect to an expected hold time for a caller on holdthat is short in duration, a template of limited content can beselected, whereas with respect to an expected hold time for a caller onhold that is long in duration, a template of extensive content can beselected.

Once one or more of the contextual templates 260 has been selected bythe program code of the CRM audio on hold module 300 based upon theapplication of one or more of the rules 270, the program code of the CRMaudio on hold module 300 can be enabled to retrieve one or more recordsfrom the CRM data 250 for an identified caller on hold in order tocomplete the selected one of the contextual templates 260. Subsequently,the program code of the CRM audio on hold module 300 can direct the TTSprocessing of the complete one or more of the templates 260 in order toproduce speech audio. Finally, the program code of the CRM audio on holdmodule 300 can be enabled to return the speech audio to the callprocessing gateway 210 for playback to the caller on hold.

In even yet further illustration of the operation of the CRM audio onhold module 300, FIG. 3 is a flow chart illustrating a process for CRMaudio on hold. Beginning in block 310, a caller identity of a call canbe received from a call processing gateway for a caller on hold. Inblock 320, a context for the call can be received and in block 330, atemplate can be selected based upon the context. In block 340, one ormore variable fields can be identified and in block 350, CRM data forthe identified caller can be retrieved for inclusion in the selectedtemplate according to the variable fields in block 360.

In block 370, the template with CRM data for the identified callerplaced in the variable fields can be TTS processed to produce speechaudio. Optionally, the TTS processing can occur in a remote TTS servicereceiving the completed template from over a data communications networkand returning the speech audio over the data communications network.Finally, in block 380 the speech audio can be provided to the callprocessing gateway for playback to the caller on hold.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the presentinvention may be embodied as a system, method or computer programproduct. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the formof an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or anembodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may allgenerally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.”Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of acomputer program product embodied in one or more computer readablemedium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may beutilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signalmedium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readablestorage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic,magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system,apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Morespecific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readablestorage medium would include the following: an electrical connectionhaving one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, arandom access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasableprogrammable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber,a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storagedevice, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storagemedium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a programfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system,apparatus, or device.

A computer readable signal medium may include a propagated data signalwith computer readable program code embodied therein, for example, inbaseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may takeany of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to,electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. Acomputer readable signal medium may be any computer readable medium thatis not a computer readable storage medium and that can communicate,propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with aninstruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmittedusing any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless,wireline, optical fiber cable, radiofrequency, and the like, or anysuitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code forcarrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may bewritten in any combination of one or more programming languages,including an object oriented programming language and conventionalprocedural programming languages. The program code may execute entirelyon the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alonesoftware package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remotecomputer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latterscenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computerthrough any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or awide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an externalcomputer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet ServiceProvider).

Aspects of the present invention have been described above withreference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods,apparatus (systems) and computer program products according toembodiments of the invention. In this regard, the flowchart and blockdiagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, andoperation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computerprogram products according to various embodiments of the presentinvention. For instance, each block in the flowchart or block diagramsmay represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises oneor more executable instructions for implementing the specified logicalfunction(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternativeimplementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of theorder noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in successionmay, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks maysometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon thefunctionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware andcomputer instructions.

It also will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer program instructions. These computer program instructions maybe provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus toproduce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via theprocessor of the computer or other programmable data processingapparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified inthe flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computerreadable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable dataprocessing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particularmanner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readablemedium produce an article of manufacture including instructions whichimplement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also beloaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, orother devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed onthe computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce acomputer implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks.

Finally, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of theinvention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” areintended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms“comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification,specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations,elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence oraddition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations,elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of allmeans or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended toinclude any structure, material, or act for performing the function incombination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. Thedescription of the present invention has been presented for purposes ofillustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive orlimited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications andvariations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Theembodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and the practical application, and to enableothers of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

Having thus described the invention of the present application in detailand by reference to embodiments thereof, it will be apparent thatmodifications and variations are possible without departing from thescope of the invention defined in the appended claims as follows:

1. A customer relationship management (CRM) audio on hold methodcomprising: identifying in memory of a computer a caller associated withthe telephone call received in a call processing gateway; selecting by aprocessor of the computer a record in a CRM application pertinent to thecaller; inserting by the processor of the computer the selected recordinto a variable field of a template and text-to-speech (TTS) processingthe template by the processor of the computer into audio; and, returningthe audio from the memory of the computer to the call processing gatewayfor playback to the caller while the caller is on hold.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the selected record is a case stored in the CRMapplication for the caller.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein theselected record is a status of a case stored in the CRM application forthe caller.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the template is selectedaccording to a context of the call.
 5. The method of claim 4, whereinthe context of the call is a duration of time the caller is expected tobe on hold.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the template is TTSprocessed by a remote service.
 7. A customer relationship management(CRM) data processing system configured for CRM audio on hold, thesystem comprising: a host computing system comprising at least onecomputer with memory and at least one processor; a database coupled tothe host computing system; a CRM application executing in the memory ofthe host computing system; a call processing gateway processingtelephone calls from callers over a public switched telephone network(PSTN); and, a CRM audio on hold module coupled to both the CRMapplication and the call processing module, the CRM audio on hold modulecomprising program code enabled to identify a caller associated with atelephone call received in the call processing gateway, to select arecord in a CRM application pertinent to the caller, to insert theselected record into a variable field of a template, to text-to-speech(TTS) process the template into audio and to return the audio to thecall processing gateway for playback to the caller while the caller ison hold.
 8. The system of claim 7, wherein the selected record is a casestored in the CRM application for the caller.
 9. The system of claim 7,wherein the selected record is a status of a case stored in the CRMapplication for the caller.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein thetemplate is selected according to a context of the call.
 11. The systemof claim 10, wherein the context of the call is a duration of time thecaller is expected to be on hold.
 12. The system of claim 7, wherein thetemplate is TTS processed by a remote service.
 13. A computer programproduct for customer relationship management (CRM) audio on hold, thecomputer program product comprising: a computer readable storage memorydevice having computer readable program code embodied therewith, thecomputer readable program code comprising: computer readable programcode for identifying a caller associated with the telephone callreceived in a call processing gateway; computer readable program codefor selecting a record in a CRM application pertinent to the caller;computer readable program code for inserting the selected record into avariable field of a template and text-to-speech (TTS) processing thetemplate into audio; and, computer readable program code for returningthe audio to the call processing gateway for playback to the callerwhile the caller is on hold.
 14. The computer program product of claim13, wherein the selected record is a case stored in the CRM applicationfor the caller.
 15. The computer program product of claim 13, whereinthe selected record is a status of a case stored in the CRM applicationfor the caller.
 16. The computer program product of claim 13, whereinthe template is selected according to a context of the call.
 17. Thecomputer program product of claim 16, wherein the context of the call isa duration of time the caller is expected to be on hold.
 18. Thecomputer program product of claim 13, wherein the template is TTSprocessed by a remote service.